230 / 536
Particular focus was placed on application of ASN
resolution 2013-DC-0349 setting the design rules for
premises in which X-ray generators are used, and this
will continue in 2016.
Nuclear medicine
ASNcontinues to inspect the nuclearmedicine departments
every three years. Its assessment of the integration of the
measures designed to ensure the patient and worker
radiation protection is positive on the whole.
Progress is nevertheless still required in themanagement
of radioactive effluents.
1.3 Radiation protection in
the industrial and research sectors
Industrial radiography
ASN continues to conduct regular inspections of industrial
radiography activities in bunkers and on worksites.
During the fourteen inspections it carried out in this
sector in 2015, ASN observed progress in the areas of
scheduling and performance of internal technical controls
of radiation protection, the maintenance of industrial
radiography devices and the conformity of protected
bunkers dedicated to industrial radiography. The
general organisation of personnel radiation protection,
particularly with regard to training, dosimetric and
medical monitoring of the personnel exposed to ionising
radiation, remains satisfactory even if a few deviations
are observed in these areas from time to time.
ASN considers however that the delimiting of the
operation zone around industrial radiography worksites
and the signalling of vehicles transporting radiology
devices and the securing of these devices must be
improved.
Since 2014, ASN has noted that the overall volume of
worksite gamma radiography services has dropped in
south-west France and that several local service providers
have decided to stop this activity.
ASN also observes that several industrial radiography
bunkers have been put into service in south-west France.
ASN considers this to be a positive development which
means that certain ordering customers will no longer
have to use services under worksite conditions.
A significant radiation protection event rated level 2
on the INES scale was notified to ASN by the Colomier
(Haute-Garonne
département
) agency of Apave Sud-
Europe after an operator working in an X-ray radiography
bunker exceeded the regulatory annual effective dose
limit. The event resulted from intentional disabling
of the bunker access door opening safety device (see
chapter 10).
Universities and research centres
ASN considers that the research laboratories on the
whole comply with the radiation protection requirements
concerning training and the dosimetric and medical
monitoring of personnel exposed to ionising radiation.
Furthermore, the radiation doses received by the workers
are low.
Nevertheless, the laboratories must improve their internal
technical controls of radiation protection and their
management of radioactive sources and contaminated
waste. Several significant radiation protection events
were notified to ASN further to the incidental discovery
of radioactive sources.
More specifically, Bordeaux University informed ASN of
the discovery of two radioactive sources in a laboratory
room on the Carreire campus. Employees occupying a
work station situated closed to the place in which the
sources were storedwere exposed to ionising radiation for
several years. According to the university’s evaluations,
one of the persons working in the room received an
effective dose approaching 20 millisieverts per year
(mSv/an), while several other employees received doses
slightly above 1 mSv/an. The event was rated level 2
on the INES scale (see chapter 10).
Lastly, ASNhas endeavoured to verify that the universities,
and especially the Universities of Toulouse and Poitiers,
meet their commitments with regard to the disposal of
expired sources and contaminated waste. Some progress
has been noted but the actions engaged must continue
in 2016.
1.4 Nuclear safety and radiation
protection in the transport
of radioactive substances
ASN carried out five inspections concerning the
transport of radioactive substances by NPPs and
small-scale nuclear activity licensees in south-west
France in 2015.
ASN observes that on the whole, the radioactive
substance reception and shipment process in the NPPs
is well managed.
In the area of small-scale nuclear activities, ASN observes
that the measures for managing radioactive substance
transport operations are incomplete. The process for
verifying the conformity of packages before shipment or
on reception must be improved. The security protocols
governing the loading and unloading of radioactive
substance packages, as required by the regulations,
are still too rarely drawn up.
BORDEAUX DIVISION
230
CHAPTER 08 :
REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015